Last week I mentioned that I’ve spent the latter part of 2024 working my way through the course work for the basic, intermediate and advanced tsumami-zaiku courses, and that I’d be sharing pieces I made as part of those courses. This piece is the very first item I completed for the basic course, and although it’s not a particularly complicated piece I am still very proud of it.

Why am I proud of it? Because to me it represents taking that first step into doing something scary. This is something that, even now after many years of being an artist, I still find difficult. I know that once I get started, it’ll be fine – it’s not really that scary. But, for me, getting started is often – if not always – the hardest part of any project.

My version of this piece is actually a little more complicated than the original design as it was presented in the course. I decided to add a painted branch to the background, on which the plum blossoms are growing. I painted the branch using ink, specifically Stroke of Midnight from Ferris Wheel Press – a Canadian fountain ink brand that I am completely obsessed with. I own a number of Ferris Wheel Press inks and pens, but hardly get the chance to use them. Recently, I’ve been trying to find ways to incorporate ink and drawing into my work.

This is not sponsored in any way by Ferris Wheel Press (though I would totally be open to it!), I just love their products.

Anyway, although this was a fairly simple project I am pretty happy with how it turned out. I also made a little video of part of the process and posted it to my Youtube. If you’d like to learn a bit more about how this piece was made, I hope you’ll check it out. I also little videos about travel, shopping, fashion and so on if you’re interested.

Thank you once more to SK Arts for the grant that funded my this project and many more. I am so looking forward to sharing more of these completed pieces with all of you amazing readers, and grants like these help make that possible.

I’ll be back again next with with more craft creations to share. Until then, I hope you all stay safe and sassy!